Introduction 3. Support 4. Reminder for Getting started 6. Registering as a Lead Internal Verifier 7

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2 Contents Introduction 3 Support 4 Reminder for Getting started 6 Registering as a Lead Internal Verifier 7 Subsite and Consortium registrations 9 Induction training 11 Accessing standardisation materials 12 Accessing online standardisation - BTEC (QCF) Lead Internals Verifiers only 14 Maintaining your registration (including accreditation for QCF) 16 Withdrawing your registration 17 Quality Nominee view 17 Glossary of terms 19 2

3 Introduction OSCA is the online platform which provides standardisation materials to support Lead Internal Verifiers for entry level through Level 3 BTECs in their role within centres. Standardisation ensures that your centre Lead Internal Verifiers understand the standards and processes which Pearson expects to be maintained in all BTEC centres. A Lead Internal Verifier designated to lead a Principal Subject Area at a centre is required to register on the OSCA system in order to access standardisation materials. Centres will also need to register Lead Internal Verifiers for BTEC (NQF) programmes, if these are being delivered at your centre. This is in addition to registering or re-registering Lead Internal Verifiers for existing BTEC (QCF) Principal Subject Areas. For a given Principal Subject Area, centres may choose to register the same member of staff or register two separate people for these roles. The standardisation process for BTEC (NQF) and for BTEC (QCF) Lead Internal Verifiers differs in a few important respects outlined below: Lead Internal Verifiers for BTEC (NQF) programmes: Standardisation materials downloaded from OSCA must be used to standardise themselves and their team of assessors and internal verifiers within their centre The Lead Internal Verifier must indicate on their OSCA homepage when their team has been standardised. Lead Internal Verifiers for BTEC (QCF) programmes: Standardisation materials downloaded from OSCA must be used to standardise themselves and their team of assessors and internal verifiers within their centre Lead Internal Verifier must additionally complete an online standardisation exercise Online standardisation is offered in a specified window during the course of the year Successful completion of online standardisation will allow accredited status for that programme group and all lower levels within the Principal Subject Area for the current academic year plus the following three years. This document provides a step-by-step guide to using OSCA. 3

4 Support Quality Assurance Handbook The Lead Internal Verifiers chapter of the Quality Assurance Handbook contains essential guidance on quality assurance, the roles and responsibilities of BTEC Lead Internal Verifiers. The Handbook can be accessed on our website. Centre Induction podcast Centre Induction is a one-off training event designed to introduce BTEC Lead Internal Verifiers to standardisation for BTEC entry level and levels 1-3. All Lead Internal Verifiers are advised to view the podcast appropriate to the BTEC qualification that they cover (i.e. QCF or NQF) as it contains detailed guidance on the role. The podcasts can be viewed on our website. OSCA exercise calculator If you are unsure which QCF Principal Subject Area you should register for in order to cover a given qualification delivered at your centre, you can use the OSCA exercise calculator tool to help you. The OSCA calculator can be found on our website: OSCA Calculator Customer Services If you have any queries regarding using OSCA, please contact our Customer Services Team. 4

5 Reminders for For OSCA will continue to cover all of our BTEC Entry Level and level 1 programmes as well as our BTEC First and National programmes, including QCF, NQF and new RQF qualifications. When going into OSCA the tabs on the left hand menu will reflect this. Induction Materials this tab gives you access to the training videos for BTEC Lead Internal Verifiers. Standardisation Materials this tab was formerly known as Practice Exercises and now allows access to all BTEC QCF, NQF (including RQF) Lead Internal Verifier materials available, to be used to standardise teams within your centre. N.B- There materials are standalone standardisation materials. These are not linked to the QCF Online Standardisation test. Online Standardisation this tab was formerly known as Standardisation Exercises and allows access to the BTEC QCF Lead Internal Verifier online standardisation exercises that must be attempted in order to gain OSCA accreditation. BTEC NQF (including RQF) Lead Internal Verifiers do not need to take an online standardisation exercise as part of their role, they will only need to download and use the materials found in the Standardisation Materials tab as mentioned above. Your Registrations homepage is now sub-divided into BTEC (QCF) registrations and BTEC (NQF) registrations. 5

6 Getting started Access to OSCA is through your Edexcel Online (EOL) account. 1. Log into EOL at Select OSCA from the left hand menu of the EOL homepage. 2. From the drop down menu, select the BTEC option and click Select. 3. Your OSCA homepage features Announcements and Your Messages tabs. The Announcements tab has important updates from us to our Lead Internal Verifiers. The Your Messages tab is a record of any that OSCA has sent to you. To read any of the messages in full, click on the Expand (the + button) next to the message. 6

7 Registering as a Lead Internal Verifier A nominated Lead Internal Verifier for your centre, you will need to register on OSCA for the Principal Subject Area delivered at the centre. N.B- If you are responsible for more than one subject area, it is possible to register as the Lead Internal Verifier for more than one Principal Subject Area. In order to do this, please carry out the following steps for each Subject area you wish to be the Lead Internal verifier for. 1. Select Registration to begin the registration process. If you are registering for the first time and your centre has not previously registered a Lead Internal Verifier, then select Click here. 2. Select the Principal Subject Area that you are the Lead Internal Verifier for using the drop down list and click Next. Note: Principal Subject Areas which are part of the BTEC (NQF) suite will have NQF (Next Generation) in their title. Any Subject area where there is a new Level 3 RQF National qualification will have L3 NQF in their title. 7

8 3. Programme groups under the Principal Subject Area that you have selected will appear onscreen. Select the appropriate programme group and then click Next. 4. OSCA will confirm the programme group level that you are registering for and also the programme groups that are covered by it. Please remember that when registering, you must register for the highest level programme offered. E.g. If you centre offers Construction at Level 1, you only register for Level 1 and Entry Level. If your centre offers Construction at Level 3 and Level 1, you must register for Level 3 and in doing so, your registration will cover Level 1. Click Next to continue. Note: If your centre already has a registered Lead Internal Verifier, then you will not be able to register until the registered Lead IV has withdrawn. It is important that the Lead IV is withdrawn and not deleted by the exams officer. 5. Read the Terms and Conditions of use and then click I Agree to complete the registration process. You will receive confirmation of registration onscreen and by to your registered address. A copy of this communication will also be available on the Your Messages tab of the OSCA home page. 8

9 Subsite and Consortium registrations OSCA allows you to register at subsite and consortium levels as well as centre level. It is important that the relationship between subsites and members of a consortium for specific Principal Subject Areas is clearly established before attempting to register as a Lead Internal Verifier. 1. Subsite level registration If your centre has subsites, you will be presented with the option to register for a single subsite or multiple subsites. If you intend to cover all subsites then select the Centre option. Note: you can only register at centre level or subsite level not both. Note: if another subsite already has a registered Lead Internal Verifier, then you will not be able to register at centre level. 9

10 2. Consortium level registration If your centre is part of a consortium you must register at both consortium and centre level. Note: only the lead centre can register a Lead IV for the consortium programmes. If you are at the lead centre, OSCA will default your registration to cover both your centre and the consortium, which you can choose to remove at this point. Note: If you are not at the lead centre you will not be given the option to register for the consortium. *Failure to select all required locations within your registration will mean that your accreditation will not offer full coverage and may cause delays in learner certification. 10

11 Induction Training Before downloading and using standardisation materials, Lead Internal Verifiers should view the appropriate Centre Induction podcast for either BTEC (QCF) or BTEC (NQF) for Lead Internal Verifiers. The podcasts provide support and training relevant to the role and provide annual updates. 1. Select Induction Materials from the menu on the OSCA homepage. 2. Click on the NQF BTEC Induction Materials link this will direct you to the web page which hosts the Centre Induction podcasts for Lead Internal Verifiers for both BTEC (NQF) and BTEC (QCF) for Lead Internal Verifiers. Note: If you do not have a BTEC (NQF) Lead Internal Verifier registration, you will not be able to use this link. Instead, BTEC (QCF) Lead Internal Verifiers can access the podcast by going to 3. BTEC (NQF) Lead Internal Verifiers will need to indicate when they have viewed the training podcast by ticking the confirmation statement on their OSCA induction materials page. 11

12 Accessing standardisation materials All Lead Internal Verifiers must standardise their teams using the available standardisation materials. For BTEC (QCF) Lead Internal Verifiers, these materials are also an essential part of your preparation towards attempting online standardisation. These materials also include important information and guidance to help you prepare for online standardisation. 1. Select Standardisation Materials from the menu on the OSCA homepage and select the appropriate programme group from the drop down list. 2. Click View to download standardisation exercises and the accompanying Senior Standards Verifier s commentary and answers. Note: registration at the highest programme level within the Principal Subject Area will also give access to standardisation materials at lower levels (i.e. Level 3 registration will also give access to Level 2 and Level 1 / entry level standardisation material). Note: have previous years materials been made available but Lead Internal Verifiers must ensure that standardisation material and guidance is used with their teams or in their preparation for online. 12

13 3. BTEC (NQF) Lead Internal Verifiers will need to indicate when their team have been standardised by ticking the Standardised box on their registration page alongside their active NQF registration. 13

14 Accessing online standardisation BTEC (QCF) Lead Internal Verifiers only Online standardisation is offered in a window' during the course of the year. BTEC (QCF) Lead Internal Verifiers must complete the standardisation exercise for their chosen programme group within this window. 1. Select Online Standardisation from the menu on the OSCA homepage. 2. On this screen you can see when the window is available and when it opens and closes for your programme group. Selecting the window that is open will take you to the standardisation exercise. 3. Click View Document to download the exercise as a PDF. Click Start Online under Lead Internal Verifier Answers and Commentary when you are ready to enter your answers. 14

15 4. The Exercise Status will change according to the progress you have made: Red indicates that the exercise has not been started. Amber indicates that the exercise is incomplete. Green indicates that the exercise is complete. 5. Click Submit if you have entered all of your answers. Click Save if you want to revisit or complete your answers at a later date. Note: Once any part of an exercise is started, the exercise must be completed in full before the close of the window, as only one attempt is allowed during the academic year. 15

16 Maintaining your registration (including accreditation for QCF) In August, all Lead Internal Verifiers must reinstate their registration to ensure that it continues to cover their Principal Subject Area. Without reinstating, the accreditation status for BTEC (QCF) Lead Internal Verifiers will lapse and any future certification claims will be at risk. 1. Select Registration from the menu on the OSCA homepage. The registrations screen will show you key details regarding your Lead Internal Verifier registration and accreditation status. 2. If you are an existing Lead Internal Verifier, your registration will lapse and require reinstating in August of each year. Click Reinstate and follow the onscreen instructions. 3. Upon successful completion your registration status will change from Lapsed to Registered and any associated accreditations will be automatically reactivated. Note: Lead Internal Verifiers are advised to reinstate their registration at the earliest opportunity from August onwards. Failure to do so may cause delays in learner certification. 16

17 Withdrawing your registration You must only register one Lead Internal Verifier per Principal Subject Area for both BTEC NQF and QCF per year. A registered Lead Internal Verifier should not be withdrawn during an academic year. When the registration lapses at the end of the year, a new Lead Internal Verifier can be registered if required (i.e. from 1st August of the next academic year) If however, you need to change a Lead Internal Verifier registration before the end of the academic year, your Quality Nominee must send a request to btecdelivery@pearson.com Quality Nominee view All Quality Nominees will automatically receive OSCA 2 VQ Centre Super User access and be able to see all registration and accreditation details at their centre. It is their responsibility to ensure that every Principal Subject Area delivered within their centre is covered by a registered Lead IV, and that all QCF Lead IVs are accredited or scheduled to attempt online standardisation. 1. Quality Nominees should be flagged for OSCA 2 VQ Centre Super User on their EOL centre account page. Note: please contact your centre EOL administrator if this box is not showing as ticked. 2. Select Quality Nominee View from the menu on the OSCA homepage. This will display all Lead Internal Verifier programme group registration details for the centre including the current accreditation status. This view can be exported to an Excel spreadsheet by clicking Export. 17

18 3. By clicking Select alongside the name of the member of staff at your centre, you can manage a user s registrations in the event of an emergency. 18

19 Glossary of terms Statuses appear beside your Lead Internal Verifier registration details so that you can quickly identify what the current status is and what, if anything, needs to happen next. There are two kinds of status flags: Registration Accreditation Registration Status Registered You are active as the designated Lead Internal Verifier in your centre for the associated programme group. Lapsed You are the designated Lead Internal Verifier in your centre for the associated programme group but your registration is inactive and needs to be reinstated in order to maintain the registration and any associated accreditation. Withdrawn You are no longer the designated Lead Internal Verifier in your centre for the associated programme group. 19

20 Accreditation Status Not Attempted You are active as the designated Lead Internal Verifier in your centre for the associated programme group. Accredited You have attempted online standardisation and are accredited for the associated programme group and all lower levels. Provided the registration is active, your centre has certification release for the associated programme group and all lower levels. Accredited Subject to Standards Verification You have attempted online standardisation but based on the results we judge that you would benefit from further support. A Standards Verifier will be allocated to support you in gaining full accreditation through sampling. Not Accredited You have attempted online standardisation and have also been accreditation sampled but we judge that you would still benefit from further support. You will need to reattempt online standardisation in the next academic year in order to gain accreditation. N/A Not applicable the programme group does not require online standardization or require an accredited status as part of the quality assurance model. 20